Wicked Wednesday–Thankful It’s Over

by Posted on

Thankful for Our Readers Giveaway:  For a chance to win an ARC of I Know What You Bid Last Summer by Sherry Harris along with a glasses case and cleaner from Kensington Publishing leave a comment below.

Dorothy Parker said, “I hate writing. I love having written.” Much as I reject the notion that the writing process itself can’t be joyful, or exhilarating, or inspired, I do have days when I understand how she feels.

That feeling applies to other projects as well. Wickeds, telling us about a project you just loved having “done.”

Edith: Cleaning my office? I dislike doing it so much I rarely really do a deep clean or even a superficial tidy. But I love it when it’s done, everything clean and clear and put away. Of course I love when a book is done. But it’s such a long process,  I love almost all the stages of the process, and I always have another book started, so it’s not such a finite thing to be glad it’s done.

Jessie: I love having finished a knitting project. I keep track of most of them on the social media website Ravelry and am always inordinately pleased with myself when I can post that I have completed a work in progress. Why I am eager to finish working on a pastime I love bafffles me but it is true every time!

Sherry: Jessie, finishing a knitting project must be so satisfying because you immediately have something to show for it. I’ll go with getting Christmas cards finished. First, I have to confess I haven’t sent any out for two years and that I hope to this year. It’s on the list with three writing projects I’m working on so fingers crossed. The cards have been in the back of the closest waiting for me to haul them out!

Barb: It won’t shock any of the Wickeds to hear the project I’ll be most thankful to be done with is–moving! My goal has been to be finished unpacking with everything set up and arranged by December 21, and it is going to be right down to the wire. The last room left is my study and that’s going to be huge challenge. Wish me luck!

Julie: I love teaching, but I hate grading. We’re in the final stretch of the semester, and I’m behind, which I hate. But the project I assigned is huge, so it is going to take me hours. Worth it in the end, but think of me this weekend.

Readers: Tell us about a project you loved having finished–or simply say hello.

Unknown's avatar

Published by Barbara Ross

Barbara Ross is the author of twelve Maine Clambake Mystery novels and six novellas. Her books have been nominated for multiple Agatha Awards for Best Contemporary Novel and have won the Maine Literary Award for Crime Fiction. She lives in Portland, Maine. Readers can visit her website at www.maineclambakemysteries.com

136 Thoughts

  1. Sherry, you have the neatest closet I have ever seen! Jealous… Housecleaning. I hate it. If houses were meant to be clean, once done they would take the hint and stop collecting dust, but I love it when the entire house sparkles all at the same time. Then I resolve to do the whole house each weekend and my husband belly laughs.

    Like

  2. Barbara, I’m with you on moving. Re-establishing your nest, with everything not only put away but organized in an useable fashion is such a massive undertaking. The positive side is that it results in a cull of your stuff, both as you pack, and unpack (what was I thinking when I saved this?!?). Now that I’m settled in one place for a while, I have to plan the sorting out. That will no doubt be the next dreaded chore.

    Like

  3. Sherry, I love the title of the newest Garage Sale mystery! No recent project comes to mind for me this year, Just dropping in to say Hi.

    Like

  4. Oh my..I moved seven times in nine years and never quite felt “unpacked”. That was in the early years. Now I’m just trying to get rid of stuff gathered over the years. It is a very slow process and will probably never be finished. What is important to me is not to others.

    Like

  5. I hate purging my closet! It feels so good when it’s finished and the clothes and other things I no longer use have been donated. Barbara, wishing you luck on unpacking your study!

    Like

  6. I have been decluttering those corners of the basement where we have just stashed things until later. Ongoing, though, not complete! Thanks!

    Like

  7. I am with Julie. I LOVE teaching but this is the end of semester and I hate grading last tests and final exams. When I am finished I will be happy to have a break until next semester. It is also bittersweet. For a couple of my classes my students are transferring out to 4 year schools and after 2 semesters of classes and labs I have a great connection with them. The other chore I hate is the finishing on my knitting projects. In fact today I will take a sweater I have knitted for myself to knit the neckband and finish sewing up the seams during a last test. I will love the sweater then.

    Like

  9. Hello!! I wish I could get my husband to put things away when he is done with them and then my house would look so uncluttered. It’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks. lol

    Like

  10. I think we have just finished one of the biggest projects of our lives and pray never to have to do it again. Saying that, I’m also the happiest that we did it and it’s done. We moved into our dream home (one we designed around two existing 1853 large stone fireplaces) in a location we have loved for years – the Ozark Mountains. With health issues and age, the packing and unpacking were a lot more work and stress than I bargained for but after the dust has cleared it was definitely worth it. I was so proud and happy to see the last of the boxes exit the house!

    Thanks for this wonderful chance to win an ARC of I Know What You Bid Last Summer by Sherry Harris along with a glasses case and cleaner from Kensington Publishing !
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

    Like

  11. We transformed my daughter’s old bedroom into my reading room/office. I was so happy about the way it turned out. It’s so me. It was definitely a project I loved having finished.

    Like

  12. Mine is updating the records I keep on various writing projects. I scribble notes on the page for each one as I go and once or twice a year I add everything to a doc file titled “MShistory”. I don’t even know why I bother keeping track of some of it, but since I started doing this years ago, it seems foolish to abandon the project now. And yes, I could put the info into the computer as I go, but old habits (that predate computers) are hard to break.

    Like

  13. I will love the cleaning of my desk and office—I tend to let it go for months and it becomes a disaster area and I put off cleaning it until it’s absolutely necessary—–then it looks so good and I’m so proud. And the whole cycle starts over again!
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    Like

  17. Hello Wickeds! My last project was Fall cleaning. We were having guests for Thanksgiving, so I was washing sheets, towels, my daughter’s duvet (her dog has been living on it since she went to College, so the normally pristine white duvet was a lovely shade of gray with paw prints — had to wash twice), deep cleaning all the bathrooms and kitchen, daily vacuuming (our dogs shed like crazy), and planning a menu. I portioned out the tasks so they weren’t too onerous, and it was definitely worth it. We had a lovely Thanksgiving!

    Like

  18. Clearing my ‘work’ desk is my biggest dislike. I have so many random projects there is not enough room to stack each individually. Just when I think I have it conquered I come across a new idea! The bad part is I am a Library Director and I must have room for books to take home in the midst of all the paperwork! 😉

    Like

  19. I love constant decluttering so that is a daily sense of accomplishment. What I hate is cleaning the tub. I”m not sure why because with the newer cleaners it really isn’t a big chore anymore. Getting all the old gritty cleanser out was what I hated most. But I do like the tub when it is shiny!

    Like

  20. I am most proud of remodeling my son’s bedroom after he moved out. My parents helped me with the project. We painted and purchased the furniture and decor. It is now my prayer/reading room. I also do my adult coloring in my room.

    Like

  21. I don’t mind putting up Christmas decorations. I love looking at them. But I hate taking them down. It’s work with my fun reward. And it’s why it is often the end of January before it happens.

    Like

  23. I’m happy when I get the housework done. Everything is so clean and organized and I always vow to keep it that way. Sigh.

    Like

  24. I’m always happy when I finish up a doll clothes order for a customer and it’s either ready to mail to them or have them pick up at a craft show.

    Like

  25. I had to move 6 times in 3 years. I got rid of half my belongings, live simply and don’t buy anything. It’s been 3 years, im still tired and stressed from moving. I hate clutter , don’t allow it, I live now in 200 square feet do daily organization is my middle name. I only have one closet and I keep it neat because I have to. How I would love to win this fabulous book.

    Like

  28. I hate cleaning but I actually enjoy moving in that I get rid of so much stuff! When I live in one place for a long time, entropy takes over and ‘stuff’ multiplies!

    Like

  29. I am in the midst of creating a new course at the college I teach. At times I enjoy the challenge, and at others I just want it finished.

    Like

  30. I’m happy to finish any cleaning project, large or small. Trouble is, with a family of 4, cleaning is never *really* done around here!

    Like

  31. Everyday I work on a different section of a room to declutter it. It’s slow going but little by little it will get done. The good thing is I’m finding items to put in a yard sale. It will be nice to get rid of things we don’t use or want and to give them a new home with someone that can use them but it really is so much work. So, I’m not anywhere near done since my house still looks so cluttered but when I see even a corner of a room neater than when I started, I feel really good.

    Like

  35. I’m agree with a lot of the people that have already commented. I love having a clean house but I have a 4 year old and 1 year old and my house does not stay clean for long. It is so satisfying to see everything put away and clean and then I look at it again 2 hours later and all the toys are right back out all over the house! It’s worth it though 🙂

    Like

  36. My youngest family bought the house next door 2years ago after living we me for a very long time/ I no longer do the tree as I gave them 81 years of ornaments and many Nut Crackers. I finally realized I was sad so decided since I kept all my Hallmark Houses and Shop ornaments I’m going to do a village on a extra coffee table. I think I’ll be happy and the boys will love it. Boxes out and we decorate on December 15 and I need a sheet of cotton for the snow.

    Like

  39. I love it when my pantry is cleaned out and I can actually see what’s in there. I’m always amazed at the sell-by dates of some items I could swear were only a few months old!

    Like

    1. We cleaned out our pantry to stage our house. Everything on the shelves was color-coded and arranged by category then by height. It looked so great I had to wonder, why isn’t it always like that?

      Like

  43. I absolutely despise decorating for Christmas. Loathe it. BUT, I absolutely love Christmas decorations. I push through the dislike so I can have pretty decorations and tree for sure!

    Like

  44. I loved unpacking all the cozy mysteries I bought over the last few months and getting them on my bookshelves so I could see what I had and what I still need to buy!

    Like

  45. Organizing my Girl Scout stash. It’s always one project or a new season (cookies or nuts). My house is a constant cycle of boxes, product, and equipment. Getting it cleaned up last summer was awesome!

    Like

  46. I really, really do not like to dust the furniture, but I enjoy cooking. Make a new roast chicken recipe today for lunch. It had the whole house smelling yummy!

    Like

    1. I really hate cleaning out my closets and dresser, or maybe it’s trying to make a decision about what to get rid of. But it does feel really great when its done and organized. Also feels good to donate to charity.

      Like

  47. I had new flooring put in several rooms of my home. I had the refrigerator, washer and dryer, dining room table, etc. in the living room for several days. I was so happy to get everything back where they belonged! However, the flooring looks great.

    Like

  48. Errands! Every week, it takes a full afternoon to go to the grocery store, drugstore, post office, etc. It has to be done, but I hate it. Always so glad to be finished!

    Like

  49. I had to clean out messy old files at work to get everything scanned & on our server. It was a big project, but now I can easily access all the documents I need.

    Like

  50. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I finish a vacation scrapbook! Thanks for offering this giveaway!!

    Like

Comments are closed.